Churches Put Word into Action By Serving Community

Noticing how political leaders fail to improve the quality of life in Rochester, Christians feel churches should come together focus on serving the community.

They believe being a Christian is not just about going to church. Their goal is to meet the Lord on Sunday and put the Gospel into action by serving the community the rest of the week, observing the city’s problems involving education, health care, to crime, and elderly.

They are planning on a year project to raise $1 million to strengthen economic development, to help enforce city’s loitering laws to reduce drug deals in neighborhoods, and create charity fund to health care, and provide HIV screenings. Each church will come up with their ways to achieve this goal.

"I believe more needs to be done," says Valerie Floyd of Rochester, "I think people need to get together to be able to solve these problems.”

"It's a way of life being a voice in the community in everything, schools, politics, everything," Floyd added.

"We have parishioners and non-parishioners that we are responsible for in giving some direction. We believe we are the moral compass for our community, " said Reverend Norvel Goff, Baber AME Church.

"The church not only has the insight from local officials, but also from God. We will be able to do the things we need to correct the situations that persist in our community, " said Elder Ron Hoston, Bethesda Church of God.